Facilitating peace should be done according to law: UDP

Staff ReporterSHILLONG, Oct 31: Facilitating peace should be done while keeping with the provisions of the law of the land, according to the United Democratic Party (UDP) which, at the same time, has welcomed the surrender of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader, Chesterfield Thangkhiew.“Anything that the government attempts to do that would bring peace and progress to the state we welcome it but our only word of caution is it should be within the ambit and purview of the law,” UDP vice president Allantry F Dkhar said in this regard on Wednesday.

The opposition Congress while questioning the manner in which the former militant leader had surrendered has alleged that the state government has failed to follow procedure since there is lack of clarity on its stand with regards to the matter.Commenting on this the UDP leader however said when the former chairman of the banned Khasi outfit Julius Dorphang came to surrender the then Congress government did not bother to point out at such procedures.“They can do it but when we do it then it is not right but we understand that what we do is to bring peace and development in the state,” Dkhar added.The UDP leader maintained that the party welcomes the recent surrender of HNLC general secretary and said, “Because this will be another step towards building the bridge with our own people who have taken the other way to sort of raising our identity and we have found over period of time it is not fructify and that it is good that we take up such issues together.”